U.S. Capitol to re-open as Pandemic Restrictions finally ease

Today marks the opening of the U.S. Capitol for the general public. Visitors won’t need to be escorted anymore, this is the first time it has been open in almost three years. According to the House sergeant of arms, this is true.

The public will be able to visit the House galleries with a pass received from a member’s office.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns in March 2020, the Capitol was not open to the public. The Capitol Visitor Center was also closed during pandemic. It will reopen fully in March. Staff-led tours of Capitol will resume on Saturday, but they will be restricted to the Hall of Columns and Crypt, Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and Rotunda. The Capitol was reopened slowly over the past few months. The Capitol Visitor Center had partially reopened in May. The final phase of the reopening process began in September. The final phase of reopening included allowing House members the privilege to lead tours from the floor, even when the House is not in session. When Congress is in session, they can lead tours to constituents of the House Galleries. During the visit, the visitor must be accompanied by a member of Congress or one of his or her staff.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wrote a letter to U.S. Capitol Police Chief Manger House Sergeant of Arms Walker and other recipients to request that plans be developed to help Republicans win back control of Congress. fully reopen The House by January 3

McCarthy said: “American People have been restricted from exercising their constitutional right to petition the first branch of government” And that was the closing involved “973 days without being able to freely visit their Member of Congress at the Capitol Complex” Or to “access the House gallery and watch their representatives vote on legislation in person.”

To enter the House office buildings to meet with members of staff and make appointments, an escort was still necessary.

The January 6 events played an important role in the reopening of the schedule. While there were concerns about the safety and well-being of lawmakers, there have been no incidents reported on Capitol Hill since January 6. These dangers have not been to Capitol lawmakers, but to Supreme Court justices.

Manger cited staffing shortages in Capitol Police as the reason that the Capitol had not been fully reopened. He said that it was necessary to do this in phases. Manger informed the Senate Rules and Administration Committee on December 19 that the department should increase its staffing to reach its goal of fully reopening Capitol to pre-pandemic levels in the next three months. Additional staffing requirements were also discussed by Manger.

It’s time the Capitol reopened. Joe Biden stated that the pandemic has ended when he visited an auto plant in Michigan earlier this month. The authoritarian liberals are determined to keep the pandemic power they have. McCarthy, if elected Speaker of the House, will end proxy voting and other measures used in the House during pandemic. No mandates. Let people decide about masks, social distancing or boosters.